A Frozen Moment
by Taurus Pixie
Summary: When a group hang-out idea falls flat, Marinette and Luka are left alone together. As feelings bubble to the surface, they soon share a moment that they wish they could freeze in time forever. One-shot.


**This has been an idea that has been bouncing around my head for a while, but I just didn't know what to do with it. Then it hit me. Why not torture my amazing friend LycoRogue just like she did for me on my own birthday? That's when it all finally came together. **

**Happy birthday to my amazing, wonderful and superhero of a friend, LycoRogue! I hope that you enjoy this little creation I made for you, and I hope that others get some enjoyment out of it too. **

**I do not own Miraculous Ladybug. This is just fanfiction written for fun. **

**Also, don't worry, there's no season 3 spoilers in this story.**

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_**For LycoRogue**_

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**A Frozen Moment**

Was it weird for Marinette to feel so nervous? Okay, maybe it wasn't, especially when she was attempting anything that involved Adrien, but the weird part was the fact that Marinette couldn't quite pin-point exactly what her nerves were aimed at. Normally, the cause of her flustering was in fact Adrien, and the fact that he was going to be there today. But Marinette felt like there was something more to it on this particular occasion.

Immediately, Luka's face flashed in her mind.

Marinette quickly shook her head, refusing to let herself be distracted by him. No! She definitely _shouldn't _be distracted by him. She was in love with Adrien, so what on earth was she thinking? She was just going a bit crazy. Yeah…that was it. She was going crazy because of how nervous she was feeling, especially after last time's ice-skating incident.

But this time, Marinette was determined to have a good time. She had followed through with her suggestion of inviting everyone along to the ice rink. After all, if she hadn't done so, then it definitely would have made her look weird and awkward to Adrien. She was a little bummed that she wouldn't get to spend some alone time with Adrien, but maybe this would be a good chance for her to finally talk to him properly and just have some fun. Maybe seeing her more light-hearted side would impress him?

The best part would be that there was no Kagami to distract him this time. Marinette had felt bad for feeling so jealous, but she really couldn't help but feel threatened by her. She was everything that Marinette was not, and no doubt perfect for Adrien. And now that ice-skating had become more popular again, especially since winter was just beginning, there would be no Philippe to bother them this time either.

All of this couldn't have been more perfectly planned. Right?

"Calm down, Marinette, why not just relax and let yourself have some fun for a change?" the familiar high-pitched voice of her kwami asked, her head peeping out of Marinette's little pink handbag.

Marinette gasped and quickly looked around the lobby to see if anyone had seen or heard her beloved kwami. Luckily, it seemed that no one had. The lobby was fairly quiet, with only a few people waiting for admission, and a few people waiting around as they glanced down at their phones.

"Stay low, Tikki," Marinette whispered down to her kwami.

Her friends could all arrive at any minute, and if anyone caught sight of Tikki…well…it would certainly be hard to explain. Especially since Alya and Nino knew what a kwami looked like now.

Tikki silently obliged by lowering herself more into Marinette's purse, though she didn't seem too worried about being spotted. Marinette breathed a brief sigh of relief before Tikki continued.

"It's been a while since you've spent time with all of your friends together."

"I know," Marinette whispered back, unable to hide her nerves, "it's just that every time I'm around Adrien, I completely freeze. I turn to a block of ice and can't talk or act properly around him. I don't know why I thought that this would be a good idea. I'm just going to end up embarrassing myself."

Tikki gazed up at her holder sadly. "Maybe for once, don't make this outing about Adrien or trying to impress someone? Just relax and have some fun with your friends and be yourself. It's okay to set yourself goals and try to perfectly achieve them, but sometimes you just need to let yourself go and go with the flow."

Marinette bit her lip as she stared down at the ground, sinking back slightly so that she was leaning against the wall. The painted concrete felt cold beneath her fingers, sending small shivers around her body as she thought about Tikki's words. Maybe her kwami was right. Maybe she was always just trying too hard. Maybe for once she should just let herself go and see where the situation takes her. It was perhaps time to stop swimming against the current and just see where it takes her. Was natural the way to do this?

The very thought filled her with fear. Marinette was used to being meticulously organised, planning everything down to the very last detail and ensuring that everything went according to plan. She wasn't exactly a 'go with the flow' type of person. With all of her obligations, she needed to ensure that she had a plan for everything, along with a plan B and a plan C in case anything went wrong.

She didn't feel like she could do this, but anything was worth a try, right?

Taking a deep breath, Marinette looked back up, continuing to watch the entrance, waiting for all of her friends to arrive. She had been shocked that she had been the first one here since she was always usually the person who was late or last to arrive. She checked her phone for the current time and saw that it was five minutes past the time they had all agreed to meet each other. Had something happened? Was there an akuma attack and she hadn't noticed?

The few other people in the lobby seemed calm, but that didn't stop Marinette from getting a paranoid feeling. Had she been stupid and gotten the wrong date and time perhaps? That would just be her luck.

However, Marinette was soon reassured by some eye-catching blue hair that had entered the lobby. Luka was looking around, his gloves held ready in his hands before his ice coloured blue eyes finally landed on Marinette, melting them into an inviting tropical ocean.

Marinette instantly felt her cheeks heating up upon making eye contact with him, and she couldn't help but bashfully look away. Not wanting to look rude though, she forced herself to look back up and offered Luka a shy and friendly wave as he began walking towards her with the usual warm and mellow smile appearing on his face.

She couldn't help but melt at the calmness of his smile and his aura. There was something so relaxing and calming about Luka's presence. Just being around him made Marinette feel like she was slowly laying back in a warm bath. Despite her shyness around him, he made her feel at ease. It always felt like she could tell him anything, and that he would always be understanding. He read Marinette's soul and heart in a way that nobody else ever could.

"I was beginning to wonder if I had the wrong day," Marinette sighed out in relief, her cheeks still a slight shade of pink as Luka came to a stop in front of her.

Now she had to crane her neck to look up at him, and her heart rate began to increase as Luka continued to smile warmly down at her. She could feel every muscle in her body relaxing, almost to a point where Marinette felt like she was about to melt into a puddle of goo.

However, Marinette quickly realised that she was probably staring at him far too intensely, and she quickly shook her head to snap herself out of it.

Luka chuckled. "No, I was just running a bit late because of Juleka. I'm sorry."

Marinette smiled. "It's okay. But…where is everyone else?"

"You mean they haven't messaged you?" Luka's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Marinette mirrored his expression before she pulled out her phone again to check her notifications. She did indeed have a few messages off her friends. Marinette guessed she just hadn't noticed them when she was checking the time, especially since she had forgotten to take her phone off silent. She immediately clicked on them and saw that all of her friends had other things they needed to attend to.

While on the way, Alya said that Nino had stupidly tripped and face-planted the ground, resulting in a now suspected broken nose so Alya was currently with him at the hospital. Max had gone away to Berlin for a gaming tournament he had entered at the last minute, and Kim had a swimming competition. Mylène and Ivan wanted to attend one of her father's performances, not wanting to miss his Paris show before he began travelling around the country on tour. But the one that shattered Marinette the most was the message she had received from Adrien. Naturally his father had come up with other plans and forbidden him from going out with his friends today.

With that message, Marinette's heart sank deep into an ocean of despair. She kept trying so hard to hang out with Adrien, but fate just seemed to keep denying her. Maybe the universe was trying to tell her something. That was the only explanation that Marinette could think of. Sure, Adrien had a strict father, but it seemed he was always cancelling Adrien's plans when Marinette was going to try and force herself to maybe ask him out on a date.

"Oh," Marinette finally responded, her voice flat in an attempt to hide her disappointment, "those messages."

"And Juleka caught some sort of stomach bug last night, and Rose wanted to stay to look after her, so they told me to go ahead without them," Luka explained, sympathy in his eyes as if he could sense exactly how all of this was making Marinette feel.

This was one of the worst coincidences that Marinette had ever experienced. Now her plans were ruined and all of her friends apart from Luka had bailed on her.

"But…we can still ice skate together if you want. I don't mind," Luka offered.

Marinette thought for a moment. Of course she wasn't going to say no. She might as well make most of the day, despite her plans being ruined, and she'd had a lot of fun skating with Luka last time. She'd had no idea just how good he was, and Marinette loved the feeling of being in his arms as he had carried her across the ice and lifted her into the air. She felt so weightless and free, momentarily forgetting about all her problems.

But would it be awkward? No…no way…she and Luka were just friends after all. Not to mention that Luka was her friend's older brother so that might make things a bit weird. Wait…no! What she thinking again? Why was her mind even jumping to that conclusion? She and Luka were just friends, end of discussion. Adrien was the boy that Marinette loved.

"Yeah, sure," Marinette managed to squeak out, smiling awkwardly.

"Great!" Luka beamed. "Let's go get our skates then."

Marinette's stomach began to churn both giddily and nervously as Luka led her towards the desk where they could pick up some skates. Every now and then, his arm would brush against hers, sending sparks of electricity throughout her entire body. Her heart leapt in her chest at every single spark, jump-starting it into overdrive and sending boiling hot blood pumping around her body, once again burning her face into an embarrassing shade of red.

Luka didn't seem to notice though, and if he did, he didn't comment on it. He remained as calm and non-judgemental as he always did. She gaze down at his hand that was just inches away from hers. The sudden urge to hold his hand became almost overbearing. His hand looked like it could practically swallow hers up, and Marinette felt like she would be totally okay with that.

_Ugh! Again, what was she thinking?!_

Marinette had been so lost in her confusing thoughts that she hadn't noticed that Luka had already hired their skates and was leading them to the quiet sitting area. Marinette gulped, the realisation of what she was actually doing finally dawning on her. She was alone with Luka. _She was alone with Luka. _The very boy who was messing with her compass.

Already, she could feel it spinning out of control. What once pointed towards Adrien was now going crazy, unsure of which direction it should be pointing in. It left Marinette feeling incredibly dizzy, but she couldn't back out now. She didn't want to hurt Luka's feelings. She would just have to learn to keep her strange emotions under control. They were just two friends ice skating together. There was nothing to overthink in this situation.

Frustrated, Marinette gritted her teeth as she struggled to tie her laces properly. She kept trying to do a more secure to knot to reduce her chances of her laces coming undone and tripping her on the ice. Because no doubt that was something that was definitely going to happen if she didn't take any precautions. Though she felt safe with Luka, even he couldn't protect her from all the clumsy accidents that Marinette brought on herself.

However, Marinette gasped and was snapped out of her thoughts by a warm hand touching hers in a silent gesture to stop. She instantly sat up straight, snatching her hands away as if she had just been burnt, before her breath became caught in throat at the sight of Luka leaning down in front of her.

Marinette had flashbacks to the last time that they were here, and she could feel herself blushing again as words became caught in her throat.

"Need a hand?" Luka offered, smiling up at her with that smile that always caused her mind to go haywire.

"I…ummm…" Marinette stuttered. "I…I was just trying to make it more…ummm…secure!"

Marinette wanted to slap herself for how awkward and stupid she was sounding. She was surprised that Luka never really looked confused whenever she did this like most people did. He always just immediately accepted her for who she was, and never became too concerned or confused whenever she had these weird outbursts. Though he had briefly teased her at first, he had quickly stopped, instead being patient with her weirdness and accepting it as just part of who Marinette was.

That realisation helped Marinette relax a little bit more. Because of course Luka acted like that. He was one of the nicest people that Marinette had ever met. He was so caring and understanding. It made Marinette forget about all of her pain and embarrassment, and instead just long to stay in Luka's presence so that she could always feel appreciated and at ease.

Once again, Luka smiled up at her, and gently grabbed hold of the back of her leg so that her foot was resting and held steady between his knees. The warmth of his touch travelled up her leg and all the way to her heart, making it feel like it was about to soar out of her body with elation.

Marinette couldn't help but be transfixed by Luka's face as she watched him tie her laces for her. His face just always seemed so calm and carefree. His very presence was peaceful, and everything about his appearance screamed about how creative he was. He was very handsome, that much Marinette had definitely noticed. Amazingly handsome.

"Ready to skate?" Marinette was snatched from her thoughts again by Luka's soft voice.

"Oh," Marinette gasped out before laughing awkwardly, "yeah."

She grabbed hold of his extended hand, and he helped pull her up off the chair before he led her out onto the ice. There weren't the only ones out on the ice, but the rink was pretty quiet with just a few other couples and a group of friends. Marinette's feet felt unsteady on the ice, and every little crack and bump made her feel like she was about to trip over.

But the warmth of Luka's hand, that she could even feel through both of their gloves, helped reassure Marinette that someone was there to catch her when she fell. Her fingers were intertwined with his tightly, and Marinette never wanted to let go. Her hand felt complete when wrapped around Luka's, like they were two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. She stared at them in awe, her heart doing somersaults in her chest at the feeling of her hand being in a place where it perfectly belonged.

"GAH!" Marinette cried out as she tripped, suddenly feeling the cold air moving more rapidly around her as she fell towards the hard ice below.

"Whoa, steady there," Luka gasped out as he reached his other arm out to catch her.

He wrapped both of his hands around her waist, preventing Marinette from falling, though he almost tripped as well before he managed to right himself in time. They became entangled together, and Marinette couldn't help but stare at his face in shock. Her mind went completely blank as her eyes kept flickering down towards his lips, and Luka as well also appeared to freeze, still holding Marinette mid-fall as he gazed down at her. It was like the both of them had fallen into a trance.

Without realising, their faces drifted closer and closer together in a moment that felt like it was lasting forever. Time itself seemed to slow down, and Marinette became hyper-aware of everything that was Luka. The rest of the world around her disappeared, as if it had never even existed at all. She felt so safe being held in his arms, and right now, he was helping her forget all of her problems. Marinette finally felt like she could live in the moment and let herself be happy.

Their lips finally touched. Ever so gently, they brushed against each other, unsure and testing each other. But it wasn't long before they collided more firmly, and Marinette pressed her lips against Luka's like her life depended on it. She had never felt such an incredible and unstoppable urge before. Their lips fit perfectly together, and they were so warm and soft against her own.

Despite the coldness around them, Marinette felt incredibly warm, like she was sat directly in the sun on a beautiful summer's day. She never wanted this moment to end. She wanted this feeling to last forever.

Much too soon, they both had to pull apart, their breathing much heavier as they gasped for air. They stared at each other through hooded eyes before both of them widened them at the same time. Luka quickly pulled them both up, the two of them staring at each other in complete and utter shock.

"M-Marinette…" Luka gasped out. "I…I'm so sorry…I –"

"It's okay," Marinette quickly cut him off with a whisper.

They both stared at each other in silence for a few seconds.

"What…what does this mean?" Marinette finally asked, the words slipping out of her mouth before she had time to think about them.

She didn't know what it meant, but it had all felt so right. Nothing had felt more natural, yet Marinette had no idea where it had come from. It just seemed to happen out of nowhere, and it was incredibly jarring to a point where Marinette was beginning to wonder if she was dreaming.

She had kissed Luka.

_She had kissed Luka!_

Why had she done that? Why did she want to do it again? Why did she want more than just a kiss? Why did she want to be around Luka all the time? Why did she become so flustered when she was around him? The answer was obvious, but Marinette almost didn't want to admit it. She felt so confused despite knowing deep down that her future path was clear. There was a part of her that didn't want to let go and let the ocean carry her to a new and better place.

Luka closed his eyes, his expression turning into one of longing, caution, but also determination. "Marinette, I've cared about you and loved you since the first moment that I met you. You are a sweet melody that I can't get out of my head, a beautiful siren's song that I can't ignore."

Marinette's mouth hung agape, and she could feel her heart hammering against her ribcage, desperate to admit her own feelings. But could she? Could she do this? She still loved and cared about Adrien, but she loved Luka as well. Maybe it was time to let go of what could never be and focus on what was actually in front of her. Her very future and happiness that had been staring her in the face for so long now. Marinette owed this to herself. She loved Luka and she wanted to be with him.

"I…I love you too," Marinette admitted.

Not exactly as romantic as Luka's confession, but she was never any good with words, and Luka knew that.

Her answer was good enough for him though, and they both beamed at each other before they leaned towards each other again and sealed their declarations with a kiss.

Marinette's heart exploded and she had never felt happier. All of this felt right. She too had been in love with Luka since she had first set eyes on him meditating in the middle of his bed. They were a perfect match, and Marinette never wanted this moment to end. She wanted this moment to freeze so that she could experience this feeling forever.

But alas, they soon had to pull apart for air, and both of them laughed happily, drunk on love as Luka picked her up and held her in the air, spinning them both around as fast as their minds. Their laughter filled the rink, and despite the fact that she knew this moment couldn't last forever, Marinette froze the moment into her brain as a happy memory.

Marinette and Luka continued to dance around the rink, holding each other close as they enjoyed the warmth of their love that they felt like could melt the ice beneath them.

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_THE END_

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**Happy birthday LycoRogue! I hope that you had a wonderful birthday and you really are one of the bestest friends that any pixie could hope to have. You're a real diamond. I feel kinda weird that it's the middle of summer and I wrote you a kind of winter themed story, but that's where my brain just ended up taking me. Lukanette revenge! I hope that you enjoyed it!**

**And I hope that everyone else enjoyed it too. Please feel free to let me know your thoughts and opinions in a review as I always greatly appreciate feedback. Thank you for reading!**


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